Soft robotics and electro-active polymers are emerging fields that could revolutionize autonomous undersea platforms. Cutting-edge Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) speed, range, and stealth are limited by:                1. Noisy and inefficient propulsion mechanisms such as propellers and rotating machinery that produce more easily detected ‘tonal’ noise.        2. Suboptimal hydrodynamics and propulsion modes that limit the speed at which acoustic measurements can be taken, in addition to limiting endurance and consequently survey area.        3. Structural impedance mismatch due to the use of syntactic foam and hollow pressure vessels that efficiently reflect acoustic waves.        4. Shallow-water and un-surveyed environments that introduce the risk of catastrophic collision damage.        5. Limitations to battery energy density.        